


The Beast Below

by pyladesdrunk



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaids, F/M, M/M, Multi, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-02-03
Packaged: 2018-01-09 08:25:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1143766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyladesdrunk/pseuds/pyladesdrunk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While on a naval voyage, Raoul is lured into the waters of the English Channel by a sinister siren known as the Faceless Beast. There he is held captive along with a young mermaid in an air pocket in the siren’s underwater caverns, where they both are forced into his servitude.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on tumblr user phantastichomos' wonderful Phantom mermaid au idea

A young sailor leaned over the railing of his fleet's ship and took in a whiff of the salty sea air. He sighed contently as the aroma made its way throughout his entire body. He had forgotten how much he missed being out on the open sea.

"I was afraid you'd be making a mess, Chagny!" A voice spoke from behind the boy.

Alarmed, he quickly turned around to see that it was his commanding officer. He smiled and jumped down to greet him.

"Admiral," he bowed his head in respect.

With a bit of surprise, the Admiral brought him in for a tight hug. The Admiral, though had a tough exterior, was a very affectionate man. Of course he was not like this with the majority of his crew, this boy was the exception. The Admiral had been very close with his father and older brother.

The Admiral's bristly mustache wiggled as he let out a hearty laugh. His hands gripped Raoul's shoulders, "Look at you!"

Raoul returned a smile, "It's wonderful to see you."

"Now what's this I hear about you finding a pretty lass, my boy?" The Admiral clapped Raoul on the back, "You'd never think you'd see so many grown men gossiping on such a topic!"

Raoul's cheeks went bright red. He never thought he could escape the talk of his love life. It was the talk of the town back in Paris. The Vicomte de Chagny had finally found himself a suitable wife.

"She is absolutely amazing," Raoul told the Admiral, "And she is my fiancée, she is very beautiful, I must tell you. I love her with all my heart."

The Admiral smirked, "Good for you, lad. I'll be expecting an invitation to that wedding!"

"Don't you worry," Raoul chuckled, "You are one of the first on our list."

The Admiral nudged Raoul's shoulder, "I best," and walked off.

Raoul made his way back over to the boat's edge. He let out a sigh and he stared at the never ending waters. He longed for his fiancée to be by his side. She was probably getting along just fine on her own; Raoul knew how strong and independent she was. He smiled at the thought.

He glanced at the sky above. It was very gloomy in appearance, as it usually was. It was a rarity that they'd be out on a clear day.

* * *

The murky waters of the English Channel were not a force to be reckoned with. Even its own inhabitants made sure to steer clear of the darkest parts, knowing they would end up being trapped in a cold and never ending labyrinth.

A variety of creatures populated the waters, ranging from tiny plankton to the occasional killer whale. But unbeknownst to the world above, a vast population of merfolk inhabited the area. Sparse villages were spread across the channel, along with the occasional city. Merfolk of all shapes and sizes would go on with their day to day lives and their day to day jobs, usually ignoring the ruckus from the world above. Humans were a waste of time and mattered very little to them. The time of the Sirens had passed and the merfolk kept much to themselves. There was no need to mess with such affairs.

Though, there was one merman who often meddled in such affairs. He was an outcast to society and lived in the deepest, most darkest parts of the channel, secluded from the rest of his kind. He made his home in a capacious cavern. There he lived alone as he liked it.

Occasionally merfolk would wander their way into his home. To deal with the problem, he would lure them to the cavern's air pockets and suffocate them.

_"Beware the faceless beast,"_  parents would tell their children.

The merman was anything but faceless. He did indeed have a face, as most do, but it was terribly deformed. His skin appeared to be a grey yellow, looking old and corroded. It looked as if it was only a thin layer over his bones. A gaping hole served as his nose, and he lacked much of his lips. His eyes were sunken in, but his irises shined like gold. He appeared frail and malnourished, but was stronger than any other merman you would meet.

The merman laid on an extravagant bed he had salvaged from a human ship. His entire home was filled with these salvaged items. They were far too easy for him to obtain.

"Erik," the merman heard a voice call his name. He quickly shot up from the bed a swam towards the voice.

"Nadir!" Erik hissed, "Come in if you must! But what have I told you about—"

Another merman, Nadir was his name, entered. He could be considered an acquaintance of Erik's, the only acquaintance of his.

"Was I disturbing your rest?" Asked Nadir.

"Not at all," Erik answered, "You know as well as I that I never rest. Now, what have you come for?"

"I thought you'd might be interested in something I discovered this morning," Nadir took a seat in one of Erik's chairs, another salvaged item. He found the red cushioning oddly comfortable. He continued, "I know you and your fascination with the creatures above."

"Do tell," Erik also took a seat.

"A large vessel," he told him, "It would be a feast for a siren such as yourself."

Erik grinned. It had been a while since any human vessels were in his reach.

"Thank you for this information," Erik stretched out his arms.

"Do be careful," Nadir warned, "Stay away from civilization. You know what the townsfolk say of you."

"I'm not an idiot," Erik scoffed, "I have no intention on intruding on their peaceful little lives. The ship is the only thing that matters to me at the moment."

* * *

Raoul bit the end of his pencil as he tried to figure out what else to add in his letter to fiancée. He knew that he would not be able to send off the letter until the ship made a stop in Portugal, but that did not mean that he could not write it.

The viscount tapped his fingers on the small writing desk as he tried to tune out the noisy sailors he shared the barrack with. They were boisterously noisy and drinking god knows what.

"Whatcha writin' there, pretty boy?" Raoul could feel a hot breath on his neck. He could smell the whiskey.

Raoul did not turn around, "That is none of your business."

"Lemme see that," a hand pulled the letter off of the desk. Raoul turned around to see that it was being handled by a sailor twice his size.

"I command you to give that back to me!" Raoul snapped, "You have no right to that! Do you—"

"Your title doesn't matter here," the sailor cackled. The others started to laugh as well, "We're all the same rank."

"What does it say?" Asked a skinny one in the corner as he downed some whiskey.

"It says nothing!" Raoul's face was beet red. He tried to capture the letter, but the man held it to high.

"My dearest love," the sailor began to read aloud. He took his voice up an octave, which made the others laugh, "How I've missed you so. These long days at sea are unbearable without you by my side, for you are much stronger than I—"

"Give!" Raoul leapt and failed. The sailor pushed him away and continued to read.

"You're probably getting along very well. I long to have you in my embrace, to feel your—"

Raoul heard hushed whispers. He quickly looked around the room, "What was that?"

"What was what?" The sailor asked. He sounded irritated that his dramatic reading had been interrupted.

Raoul heard it again. It started to sound a bit musical. Whistles and hums filled his ears. It made him feel warm inside. He hugged himself and let out a sigh, "Don't you hear it?"

"He's mental," one of the men whispered.

"Maybe it's a mermaid," one joked, "They say their songs only attract the stupidest of men…"

All of the men started to laugh again.

Raoul could hear words, but he could not understand them. It was as if a foreign tongue was running through his head.

"I-I think I need some air," Raoul said as he pushed open the door, "Clear my mind."

Raoul ran up the narrow stairs and made his way to the deck. The voice was growing stronger and stronger. It was starting to drive him a bit mad.

"Hello?" Raoul called out, "Hello?"

There was no answer, but the voice was growing louder. What had been humming was now turning into shouts. Raoul covered his ears, but that could not keep the noise away. It was burning his ear drums. He could not take it any longer.

Raoul grabbed onto the railing, "Stop!" he cried out, "Please make it stop!"

Screams and squeals filled Raoul's head. It was agony.

Raoul stared out at the crashing waves. He felt the sudden urge to jump, though he did not know why. All he wanted to do was jump.

He climbed over the railing and prepared to plunge himself, but he was interrupted by a shout.

"Chagny! What are you doing!?"

Raoul ignored it. He had to jump. It was the only thing that mattered to him. The water would free him. The water would help him.

He did not even need to count. Without any thought at all, Raoul dropped off the edge and into the icy waters.

As he sunk down the voice quieted. Raoul quickly opened his eyes and realized where he was. He felt something grasp his leg.

He heard a hiss, "This is my favorite part."

Raoul tried to scream, but ended up taking in water. His lungs were burning and he could not breathe. He tried to open his eyes, but the saltwater burned. This was it. He was drowning.

He started to kick. Maybe he could break free of whatever was dragging him down.

"You are a feisty one," he heard a groan, "I loathe ones like you. Trying to create a challenge?"

"Please!" Raoul tried to say, though it did not translate well underwater.

Raoul thought of his fiancée, of how he'd never get the chance to see her smile again. How he would never get to lift her veil and kiss her passionately. How he would never become a father. How he would never get to play his violin to his sleeping baby as his love sung a soft lullaby.

He was growing weaker and weaker. He could not go on anymore. He could not fight it. He had to give up.

* * *

Raoul was awoken by his own choking. Water dripped down his chin. He slowly opened his eyes and saw his wet blond hair hung in his line of sight. And that was when Raoul realized that he was alive.

"I'm alive?" Raoul spoke aloud. He coughed up a bit more water. He brushed his hair out of his eyes to look around. He noticed that it was very dark. He felt the ground. It was made up of rocks and dirt. Raoul gasped for a moment. He saw that he was surrounded by water. The only thing that kept the water from engulfing him was the small patch of land in which he sat upon. He noticed a chain was tied around his ankle.

"Where am I?" Raoul began to hyperventilate, "Where am I? Someone answer me!"

But there was no answer. The only sound Raoul heard was the sound of waves crashing against what he thought to be walls.

Raoul curled himself into a ball and laid on the dirt. He started to cry. He was so distressed and did not know what else to do.

"Trapped," he heard a voice try to choke out. It sounded very raspy and ill, "You are trapped."

"Who was that?" Raoul shouted, "Who goes there?"

"Behind you," the voice wheezed.

Raoul turned his head. Pushed up against the cavern walls was a girl. She looked terribly ill. Her skin was pale and appeared very dry. Chestnut locks hung over her face, which left it almost completely covered. Where her legs should have been was a dark blue fishtail. Its scales were dry and cracking. A chain was tied around her waist; she could not move.

"Impossible!" Raoul gasped, "Those men were right! I cannot believe this! I demand you to free me this instant, you foul-"

"You draw fast conclusions," the mermaid choked.

"What are you saying?"

"We are the catches of the day," she answered, "I, being left here to shrivel to dust, and you, I actually haven't the slightest clue about you."

"Shrivel to dust?" Raoul was confused, "What are you saying?"

"I'm so dry…" she coughed, "I can barely breathe."

"Water?" Raoul asked, "Do you need water?"

"It would be nice," she sighed, "Can you reach it?"

Raoul crawled over to the edge of the land. He cupped his hands and dipped them in. He was able to carry a bit in his hands. He tried his hardest not to let any spill. He carefully crawled and splashed the water onto her.

"More," she moaned, "Please…"

He did as she said and continued to splash water all over the mermaid's body.

"Can you breathe?"

"Not really," said the mermaid, "I'd have to be submerged in order to do so. But thanks to you, I may be able to last a little longer."

"I am terribly sorry for shouting at you," Raoul told her, "I am so confused. I never knew creatures like you existed…I assumed it was you who dragged me down and tried to drown me."

"All is forgiven," the mermaid tried to push herself upright, "I've never been out of the water before. This whole sensation is very strange, as well as painful. Do you mind if I ask…what are you?"

"What am I?" Raoul was confused, "What do you mean by that?"

"What sort of creature are you?"

"A man," he answered, "A human being."

"Ah, I see," she brushed her hair out of her eyes, "You live in those vessels that come across from time to time!"

"You mean ships?" Raoul corrected her, "No no, I do not live on a ship, well not permanently. I live in a big city. It's called Paris and it is not aboard any ship."

"Alright…" the mermaid appeared to be very confused, "Paris…?"

"If I am going to be stuck in here with you," he said, "I might as well tell you my name. I am Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny."

"What a long name," the mermaid responded, "I am Christine."


	2. Chapter 2

"Christine," Raoul spoke aloud. He liked they way it felt on his tongue, "Lovely name."

"Thank you," Christine blushed, "I find it neat how you can grow hair on your face," she pointed to her upper lip, "I like those little yellow hairs."

Raoul raised his eyebrows in confusion, "My mustache? Why, thank you?"

"I might as well learn some new things while I slowly die in here," said Christine, "Do you have a favorite color? I am very fond of blue, but I also like red very much."

He frowned, "That was a very dreary way of putting it, but if you must know, I like the color green," he rested his head on his knees, "May I ask you a question?"

Christine nodded.

"Who has done this to us and why?" He asked her, "You must know something."

Christine grew quiet, "He is called the Faceless Beast. He's a Siren…he can manipulate the world around him with his voice…it is a terrible and quite illegal ability to have," she sighed, "I do not know why he captured you, but I was an intruder in his home, you see, I am homeless."

Homeless? Raoul did not think a mermaid could be homeless. Was the entire ocean not their home?

"I had come across these caverns," her voice was growing raspy, "I was desperate and there was a bounty of fish…untouched…uneaten. So, I sort of hid and stayed for a few days…but then he found me. Oh, it was terrible, for he sang and he sang until his voice was ingrained into my mind. He screamed and he bellowed and he chained me here, leaving me to die."

That was terrible. Raoul wondered if he was going to suffer the same fate. But then again, why didn't the Siren just drown him when he had the chance…why did he keep him alive?

"Christine?" Raoul asked the mermaid. He could see that she was growing very weary. It pained him a bit to see her suffering like this. He notice that the chain that held her was bolted into the rocky wall. Maybe with a hard tug he could pull it out. Maybe he could even pull out his own.

"Yes?" She was breathing very heavily now. She laid her head down on the cool dirt; she was much too weak to hold it up.

"I think I may have an idea," Raoul reached for the chain and grabbed it. He began to pull with all of his strength. Dust and pieces of rock started to crumble. Raoul let out a heavy pant.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to break you free," he continued to pull, "If I get you back in the water, you can pull my chain from there and unlatch my ankle…we can escape!"

"I have tried to break free, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny," she said, "It is no use. The chains are much too strong."

"Please call me Raoul," he yanked harder on it, "No need for the full title!"

With one final tug, Raoul was able to unlatch the chain from the wall. He fell backwards onto the ground; he was exhausted. He pushed himself back up and crawled to Christine. He motioned to her webbed hands, not wanting to touch them himself. They were scaly and slimy and all Raoul could think of was the fish he had for lunch on the naval ship the day before. Her fishy appearance made him quite nauseous, to say the least.

"You're very strong for someone with such scrawny arms," Christine wheezed as she crawled towards the water.

Raoul furrowed his brow and pouted, "They are not scrawny! It is lean muscle!"

The viscount watched the mermaid dive head first into the water. It was very dark and murky, so he could not see much once she was submerged.

"Christine!" Raoul called out. He hoped that she cold hear him from below, "Christine?"

That was when he heard a piercing scream. He saw the mermaid shoot up out of the water and slam against the cavern walls. Rock started to form around her wrists, neck, and tail, leaving her trapped against the wall.

"CHRISTINE!" Raoul's heart raced. He saw a form swimming in the water. Slowly it surfaced and peeked its head. Once Raoul got a look at the creature's face, he was disgusted. It was the most horrifyingly decrepit thing he had ever laid his eyes on. He began to feel a bit faint.

The monster's focus was on Christine. It bellowed, "You dare try to escape? You loathsome little—"

Raoul took in a deep breath. He knew that he could not let this monster harm the poor mermaid, "Let her go, for god's sake!"

The monster turned his head and peered at Raoul with his golden eyes, "What did you say, human?"

If Raoul knew anything, he knew how to manipulate a situation…to bluff. He was quite good at it too; it got out of trouble many times when he was a small boy.

"I'll drown myself!" He bluffed, "You kept me alive for a reason, did you not? Kill her and I will drown myself!"

The monster began to cackle, his voice rung in Raoul's ears, "Would you really, my dear fellow? Would you really end your life to save a worthless little thief?" He growled and turned to Christine, "Yes, dear child. There are consequences for thievery, you know. I'm sorry, but you already know too much. It would not be fair to release you to the public with your new found knowledge."

"Let the girl go, you beast!" Raoul pleaded, he could no longer bear to watch the mermaid struggle, "Harm her no more!"

"If you insist," the monster began to sing and the rocks crumbled. Christine fell back into the pool, "But like you, I shall let her live, but I shall not let her go."

"What are you?" Raoul sounded frightened, "Why have you captured me? Explain yourself!"

The monster swam to the ledge and looked up at Raoul, "You humans are so hot-headed, I swear," he grasped his bony fingers around the chain, "And you are so young…how old are you?"

Raoul stared at the monster's hand. He feared what was going to happen next. He quickly responded, "Nineteen."

"You are merely a hatchling," he grinned. The chain crumbled to dust in his clutch, "You shall fare quite well."

"W-What are you doing?"

"It is quite exhausting for me to surface, and a waste of time, really," he grabbed the viscount's hand and in it he placed a tiny bead, "Swallow this."

"I shall do no such thing!"

"If you intend on surviving, you shall," he pulled Raoul down to his level and shoved the bead into his mouth, "Swallow it."

Raoul did as the monster said. He began to sweat profusely. Everything around him was becoming a blur. And there was a ringing that echoed in his ears. He took in a deep breath, but began to violently cough. He realized he could no longer breathe. He grew dizzy and his eyelids became heavy. What had this thing done to him?

The human collapsed.

* * *

"You're lucky I kept you alive," Christine a hiss from behind her. She quickly turned her head and saw the merman who had attempted to kill her. In his arms was that human boy, that Raoul. His eyes were shut and his mouth hung open, as if he were sleeping…or dead, "I couldn't have my human drowning himself."

"But I see you already have," she muttered.

"On the contrary, dear girl," he swam over to her, "He is very much alive, and I intend to keep him that way."

"Get away from me!" Christine snapped, "What good is he alive? What good is any human alive?"

"Oh, Christine," she felt his cold hand cup her cheek, "So young you are."

She was taken aback, "H-How do you know my name?"

"Spitting image of Gustave," he told her.

"M-My father?"

"Head of the Daáe Siren clan of the north," he sighed, "Such a shame what had happened to them. I wonder why his daughter is so far south?"

"Why she is so far south is none of your business," she gritted her teeth, "And you will let her go!"

"I certainly will not!" He scoffed, "You broke into my home and attempted to steal from my library. Be happy you're alive, my dear."

"What are you going to do with me?"

"Keep you my prisoner," he shrugged, "I cannot let you free with what you know…the harm you could do…"

"You have no—"

He cut her off, "Yes, I do. Your father was obsessed, Christine…he was a lunatic. I will not let you become like him."

Christine clenched her fists. How dare this beast speak so illy of her father? He obviously knew nothing! Her father was a hero…a savior! He dedicated his life to the eradication of that vile human race. To keep the oceans safe. What was so insane about that?

"Keep me and I will kill that human of yours," Christine glared at that stupid human. He should have drowned himself for her. It would have saved her the trouble. She could just imagine the look on his face. He thought she was an innocent, ignorant little mermaid. Well, Christine was an excellent actress.

"Kill him and I will kill you," she felt his sharp nails dig into her skin, "That is a promise."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along through the tunnels and crevices of his cavern. They entered a small room, it was garnished with so many odd things. She guessed they must have been human made. It disgusted her. No Siren she ever knew would dare touch a human artifact. What was with this merman's infatuation with those foul creatures?

Christine saw the merman set the human down on what she guessed was a bed. It was so odd and rectangular.

He finally let go of her wrist, "You will watch over him until I get back. You will not harm one little blond strand of hair on that head of his."

"If he harms me…I will!"

"Look at him, child," he sighed, "He is far too stupid to even touch you. He trusts you."

"You're a monster," she muttered under her breath.

"Oh no," he chuckled, "I am only Erik."

* * *

Raoul shot up after he had awoken. He was in a bed…a regular bed! Was everything that happened before all a dream? Of course it was. There were no such things as merfolk or scary men with corpse like features. It was all a dream. He let out a sigh of relief.

"And he has awoken," he heard a feminine voice come from behind him. It sounded bored and irritated. He turned his head to see it was that mermaid…that Christine! She was floating in midair!

"WAH!" Raoul yelped as he caught her eye, "What!? How!? Dear god, am I still dreaming!?"

The mermaid swam towards him and took a seat on the bed next to him, "First of all, you are underwater. Second, that hideous beast shoved a bubble bead down your throat. Because of that you can breathe, see, and communicate underwater. And third, you are not," she let out a moan, "And that's all he told me to say to you."

"This is impossible!" He exclaimed, "I-I-I—"

"Am even more of an idiot than I at first perceived," she sneered, "Humans are clever and cunning…you are clearly the opposite."

Raoul was confused, "I thought you didn't know what a human was."

"Any mermaid with a brain knows what a human is," Christine told him, her nostrils flared a little bit, "I lied. It's a mermaid's instinct to lie to something that she does not trust. I am not lying now, for I have done enough lying for ten people already."

Raoul looked dumbfounded. Here he was, probably miles away from his ship, and locked in an underwater chamber with a mermaid.

"So what are you then?" Christine tugged at his shirt sleeve with her fingers, "You are far too stupid to be some sort of hunter…"

The viscount raised his eyebrows, "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard what I said," she sniffed the fabric, which made Raoul a bit uncomfortable, "Tell me what you are."

"I am a viscount…a sailor-lad…a man! Merely a man!"

"Where are you hiding your nets?" She declared, "Where are you hiding your knives?"

"My what?" He slowly backed away from her, "I know you said you lied, but this sudden change in attitude is a bit frightening!"

Christine's anger and suspicion began to fade, "You really do not know what I'm talking about, do you?"

Raoul shook his head, "I haven't the slightest clue."

"Did you really mean it when you said that you would drown yourself if he killed me?" Asked Christine, "Did you?"

"Yes," he blatantly lied. He did not want to spur anymore anger, "I did."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know," he grew quiet, "I could no longer bear to watch you suffer."

"You are very strange," Christine sounded uneasy. She looked into his eyes, "Very strange."

"I get that a lot."

"You tried to keep me alive," she bit her lip, "You never even touched me…not even once."

"Why would I?" He asked, "Why do you think I would?"

"Because humans do those things," she took in a deep breath, "Our breeding grounds are near the shores in the shallow waters. Humans…they find us. They constrict us with their nets…some even defile us…and most kill us and take our corpses with them."

"Christine—"

"Humans killed my mother," she shut her eyes, "They mutilated her body…"

Everything that Christine had told him sounded horrific, "I am—I am so so sorry."

"I was only six years old…"

"I never knew my mother," words just spilled out of his mouth. He was trying to be empathetic, "She died while giving birth to me…"

"Ah yes," Christine opened her eyes, "I forgot humans were mammals…"

"I used to blame myself a lot for it when I was a boy," he grew quiet, "Sometimes when my father was very upset with me…he'd blame me too."

"That is very unfortunate."

"I apologize for my depressing little tale," said Raoul.

Christine got up from the bed, "It's fine," she turned to him, "It's fine."

Raoul then asked, "Have you ever met any nice humans?"

"Only you, I guess," she gave a small smile, "You aren't so bad."


	3. Chapter 3

Erik slipped on a full facial mask made of bits of wood and other debris. He was going out, which was a rarity in itself. The only time Erik ever went out was to drown the occasional sailor, which he did without his mask. Nadir usually would collect Erik's necessities from the local market in the village when need be.

Today was different, though. There was no person who could run this type of errand for him; he had to go out on his own. Erik had to make sure he was able to keep that human of his alive and healthy. He would not be able to use him dead or ill, that would defeat the purpose. Even though the merman had a twinge of fear in his heart about where he was going, he knew it was necessary.

The shores of Île d'Ouessant are a deathtrap for any mermaid or merman. The livelihood of the commune which made its home on the tiny island was the hunting of merfolk.

The hunting of merfolk actually was not too uncommon among the various communes and towns of the channel shorelines of France, as well as England and Ireland too. It was a common practice among shores across Europe and beyond. Though, the trade only stayed between the towns and communes of the shore; it rarely ever reached inland.

The hunters were very resourceful with their kills. Not a single piece of merfolk was wasted among the commune. The hair would be used for weaving, for a mermaid's hair is one of the softest and strongest materials out there. A blanket woven out of mermaid hair had the warmth of about four sheep wool blankets. Its meat was used as food among the inhabitants. Hunters would carefully slice off the tail, for that was the most nutritious part, and sell pieces in the marketplace. A single tail could feed a family of four for a good amount of time. Catching a gravid female would put a hunter's family in a gold mine. Not only were their tails much more thick and fatty during this time, the average female held at least ten eggs during the breeding season, which were rather large. The roe of a mermaid is considered a delicacy. The bones had various uses. Often they would be sculpted into tools; the tops of skulls made good bowls. But many hunters kept the skeletons as trophies, for merfolk are very difficult to catch.

But why would Erik travel as far as Île d'Ouessant? Why not Roscoff? Île de Batz? Brignogan-Plages? Even Ploudalmézeau would be a quicker and easier swim from his caverns than Île d'Ouessant.

Someone on Île d'Ouessant owed Erik a favor. A little over nine years ago, Erik had made a trip to the island on his own, just to retrieve a few items from the shallow waters.

_"Maman! Maman!" The merman had heard a shrill voice call out from above. He had his hand on a broken glass bottle, which he was going to take home with him. As he heard the repetition of the words, he froze completely._

_Erik saw little chubby hands reach into the water. If he wanted to, Erik could maul them right off. But as of then, he could not move a muscle, he could not even sing a melody. He was frozen in fear. For it had been many many years since he had been spotted by a human, and all of the terrible memories were rushing back._

_He felt something prod his back. It was only a stick. No harpoons. No knives. No nets. Erik took in a deep breath and slowly sat up, becoming only submerged from the waist down. He adjusted his mask and found him self face to face with a human child! A little girl with delicate blonde curls and bright blue eyes. She wore a little white dress that flapped in the wind. Erik let out a sigh of relief._

_The little girl let out a tiny gasp and took a step back. Even with his mask on, Erik must have looked nothing like the merfolk she had ever seen before._

_"Make no sound," Erik whispered to her, "If you do not hurt me, I will not hurt you."_

_Defying completely what Erik had said, the little girl let out a wail, "MAMAN!"_

_Erik's heart raced. Again, he found himself frozen in place, unable to move, unable to escape._

_"MEG!" He heard an older voice call out. A human woman with sleek black hair and a similar dress to the girl's came rushing through the sand, "Meg Giry! What have I told you about—"_

_Erik saw the human woman gasp. She stared at Erik, then back to the child. She slowly walked over to the child._

_"Meg," her voice was grave, "get to the cottage."_

_"But Maman—"_

_"Get to the cottage now!"_

_The little girl nodded and ran off._

_"If you do not hurt me, I will not hurt you," Erik's voice cracked, "If you do not hurt me, I will not hurt you."_

_The woman's voice shook, "I-I have n-never seen one of you alive. I d-didn't know your kind c-could speak."_

_"We do."_

_"I am not a hunter," she told him, "I am but a mother and a wife. Are you one of those…one of those…"_

_"Sirens?"_

_She nodded._

_"Indeed, but I am independent. I belong to no clan, for I wish to do no harm on this shore," he told her, "Believe me, I have only come to collect debris. Now if you will just—"_

_The woman interrupted him, "I will tell no one of you if you do something for me," she held her hands together, "Please, I beg of you."_

_Erik was a bit skeptical. A human wanting something from him other than himself? This was new, "What is it that you want of me?"_

_"My husband," she said, "I believe he is lost at sea. For weeks he and his crew have been missing and I am very frightened. My little Meg has been scared to death, and I am afraid that those Sirens may have gotten to him…"_

_"All ships and boats are mine before I let any other Siren touch them, let me tell you," those other Sirens killed without a thought and wasted perfectly good resources, "What is your husband's name? How large is his vessel?"_

_"Just a small fishing boat," she answered, "Marcel Giry is his name. He has fair hair and the brightest blue eyes—"_

_"Just like your little girl."_

_The woman nodded._

_"If I do this, you shall owe me a favor in the future," said he, "Do you promise me?"_

_"Anything," she nodded, "I promise you."_

And nine years later, Erik did indeed return to the shores of Île d'Ouessant for his favor.

As Erik pushed himself onto the sandy shore and situated himself. It was rather uncomfortable, but the human woman would probably hear him better if he were out of the water. He fixed his eyes on the cottage on the hill. That was the Giry cottage, he was sure of it.

Erik whistled a gentle melody. It was an attraction melody he had read up on recently. Its purpose was to worm its way into a creature's ear and attract it to the sound, leaving the creature in control of its thoughts.

Erik looked around to make sure he was hidden. He chuckled to himself. A merman completely out of the water, dry and vulnerable. He was fair game for any human to come after now.

Up on the hill, Erik saw the head of a woman peek out of the cottage. Her dark hair was braided on top of her head and she wore a long black dress. As she stepped out of the cottage, Erik saw her walk with a black walking stick. This woman looked so different from the one he had met before…could it still be her?

The woman began to walk down the hill and headed towards the shore. When she reached the sand, Erik watched her kick off her heeled boots. She lifted the ends of her dress and followed the whistle.

Erik looked up at the woman, "Hello, Madame Giry."

The woman gasped and leaped back a bit, obviously startled by the sudden encounter. She lost her balance and fell onto the sand.

"Surprised to see me?" He asked, "How's that husband of yours? What was his name? Michel?"

"M-Marcel," Madame Giry grasped her walking stick and pulled herself up, "He died of pneumonia last winter."

"Pity," Erik tried to sit up straight, but failed miserably, "I give you my condolences. How is your little Meg?"

"Nearly fourteen," she was quiet, "What is it that you want?"

"I have come for my favor, Madame," he answered, "And do not worry, it is very small. All I ask for is some necessities…a jug of fresh drinking water, one of those razor things," Erik couldn't have his human hairy, "Some of your land fruits and vegetables," he could not mess up his human's digestion, "Anything that will keep a human male alive and healthy, really."

Madame Giry was very confused and quite skeptical, "I do not understand. Why are—"

Erik cut her off, "It is none of your business. You just answer to my favor. We made a deal."

"Fine!" Madame Giry gave in, "I will collect your items and bring them to you. You must get in the water and hide; if anyone else saw you they would have a field day."

"I'm all skin and bones," he stifled a laugh, "Not much of a good catch."

"Any catch is a good catch in these days," she said, "It's a rarity to find any merfolk near the shores. Our hunters have to go far out just to even try to catch one."

Erik sighed, "I am actually very sorry to hear that, Madame," he pulled himself back into the water, "I know your commune relies on the merfolk, who I do not happen to care much at all for. From what I have heard from the nearby village, breeding season is in April this year. You may be able to find one or two fat gravid mermaids swimming about, and their mates shouldn't be too far behind."

Madame Giry nodded, "Thank you."

"I shall be waiting for you to return with my items," and he sunk back into the water.

* * *

"Why are you still doing that?" Raoul sat up in the bed. He saw Christine scratching and pushing on the door. She had been going at it for the past two hours and it had been getting in Raoul's last nerve, "How are you even doing that so fast?"

"From looking at you…I've noted that humans are very slow underwater. I, on the other hand, am up to speed," she continued banging, "And I am trying to escape! I'm not going to have that creature keep me locked away!" She turned to look at him, "It seems that you have given up, not that you could do anything to escape if you tried. Do you not have a life to live?"

There was tension growing between the human and mermaid. Being trapped together in a small room for hours would usually do that.

"If you haven't noticed, I am a human trapped in an underwater chamber!" Raoul exclaimed, "What am I supposed to do? The best I am hoping for is that this is all a dream and I awake with my Michelle in a warm bed."

"Michelle?" That sparked Christine's curiosity, "What is that? Some sort of weapon?"

"What? Why would I even have a weapon in my bed? That is just ridiculous…"

Christine shrugged, "I don't know what humans keep in their beds. It was just a guess."

"I do not keep weapons in my bed. I usually don't have a weapon on me at all!" He said, "If you must know, Michelle is not an it, she is a her. Michelle is my Fiancée."

"Fiancée? What is that?"

"Do you not have fiancées and marriages among your people?" The answer was obvious. Christine, though a mermaid, was the most unconventional girl Raoul had ever met. Swimming around stark naked, though Christine really did not have anything worth covering. She had no breasts at all. Her chest was completely flat and quite scaly, to say the least. She had been snapping at him every five seconds…the exact opposite of what a proper human lady would say to a viscount.

"No…" Christine looked puzzled.

"Of course you don't."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Christine snapped at him, "What are you saying about my people?"

"Nothing," he sighed, "I just think you are very strange, from what I have seen. Now, marriage is when two people join together to form a union—"

"We have something similar to that, I think," Christine interrupted him.

"And what would that be?"

"You probably wouldn't be able to comprehend it," Christine rolled her eyes and puffed out her chest, attempting to mock him, "With your tiny human brain and all!"

"Christine, I honestly didn't mean to offend you," he frowned, "Human society is just so different. We're much more refined and we certainly do not run around naked!"

She swam over to him and pulled on his shirt sleeve, "Why in the world would I even want to wear something like this? It would cover my gills and slow me down all together! And why are you humans so afraid of showing off your body? Do you have things to hide?"

He pulled his arm away, "I certainly do not!"

"Whatever you say," she slowly floated to the ground, "Are all of you non-hunters this sensitive? That is how I shall refer to the humans like yourself, if those even exist."

"They do exist," Raoul groaned, "And I am not sensitive."

"So fiancée," Christine was getting back on topic, "Is that a fancy word for mate? Because we have those."

"I guess so," answered Raoul.

"Is she healthy?"

"Yes?" Raoul said, "She's not ill or anything…"

"What attracted you to her?" Christine asked another odd question, "Was it her aroma? The width of her hips?"

Raoul felt a bit uncomfortable, "She has pretty blonde hair…why are you asking me this?"

"Curiosity," Christine pulled at Raoul's curls, "Like this?"

"Ow!" He waved her hand away, "What was that for?"

Christine shrugged, "Was your mate with you on that ship of yours?"

"Fiancée," Raoul corrected her, "And of course not. There is no place for her on a naval ship. She is in Paris with her father, waiting for my return."

"Why is there no place for her on your ship?" Christine looked confused, as if she did not understand why there was no woman with the navy, "It's terrible that you leave her, especially since she is your mate. She could just get up and find another one, it really isn't that hard."

"No she could not!" It was getting a bit heated, "We are engaged to be married! She could not break it off so simply…it doesn't work that way!"

Michelle would never break off the engagement, her father would not allow it. And she loved Raoul, for she had said so when he presented her the family ring.

"I am sorry if I offended you," Christine backed away, "I just do not understand your silly human breeding rules."

"It isn't breeding!"

"Marriage," she rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

"Since you are getting all into my business," the viscount asked, "May I get into yours?"

She waved her hand, "Go ahead."

"Do you have a mate?"

Christine let out a snort, "Of course not!"

Now it was Raoul who was confused.

"I shall never find one," she sounded proud, "I think it is a waste of time! Though, during breeding season the attention is nice. Males lining up and trying to court me…showering me in complements and gifts…fighting amongst each other…it is fantastic to see the looks on their faces when I reject them."

"Why do you reject them?" Raoul grew curious.

"I have no time for such nonsense," she wrinkled her nose, "I have no desire for it. I do not want to want to waste my spring and summer in shallow waters…I don't want to become vulnerable and slow. I don't want to be fat and gravid and rely on some merman to protect me…" she paused for a moment, "I-I-I…"

Raoul noticed her face grow pale. He became concerned, "Christine?"

She but her lip and shut her eyes, "I do not wish to talk about this anymore!"

"It's alright," Raoul gently placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, "You don't have to."

She viciously slapped his hand away, "Do not touch me!"

He jumped back a bit, for he was startled by this.

Christine turned her head. She looked to Raoul and then shut her eyes, "I am sorry…I did not mean to…you have done no wrong since I met you…I am sorry."

"It's quite alright," he was quiet, "It's quite alright."

Christine's dorsal fin grew stiff. Raoul could not help but stare at it. The spines of the fin became upright. He noticed her flare out her nostrils. Her eyes shot open and she froze.

"I hear something," she whispered.

"Hear something?" Raoul asked, "I don't—"

"SHHH!" She quieted him.

"You are very peculiar—"

"SHHH!"

Raoul nodded. He watched her swim over to the door and place her ear on it.

"He has returned," she growled. The spines on her fin became even more erect.

"W-What are th-those things on your back?"

"My dorsal spines, of course," she told him, "If that monster even tries to touch me…he will be in for it."

"Ah, yes," Raoul was a bit frightened, but he tried to be encouraging, "You get him!"

The door of the room began to slide open. The monster waited there. In his hand was a basket.

He glared at Christine with his yellow eyes, "Put those spines away, child, you could poke an eye out."

"I could poke your eye out!" She snapped at him, "I have venom, you know!"

The monster sighed, "You Nordic fish are such a rowdy bunch," he looked at Raoul, "Her venom doesn't kill, it will only leave you puffy and bloated for a while. It is rather unpleasant, though."

Christine hissed.

"What are you going to do to us?" Raoul's voice shook as he spoke.

He began to laugh, "You act like I am some sort of scary sea monster! If you behave, no harm shall come to you," he swam over to Raoul and lifted the boy's chin, "I promise."

Raoul just his eyes, for he couldn't bear to look at the merman's hideous features that closely.

"You children look rather famished," the monster said to the both of them, "What sort of host would I be if I did not offer my guests something to eat?"

Christine choked, "Guests?"

"Guests…prisoners…they are both very similar," he smirked, "I want to make you both comfortable, for I am not a heartless beast. I find it quite thrilling to have dinner guests."

Raoul and Christine glanced at each other, both looking very confused. It was very obvious that neither of them had expected this.

"Human boy," said the monster, "I do not think I ever asked for your name."

"It is Raoul."

"I would like it if you called me Erik," he told him, "You and Christine make yourselves comfortable while I prepare our meal. You are free to explore my caverns for the time being, but don't try leaving, for you will not succeed," Erik started to swim off, "I will fetch you when it is ready."

"That was very strange," Raoul tried to get off of the bed, "I don't understand that man's logic."

"He's deranged," her spines slowly shrank down and she took in a deep breath, "He could have killed us right then and there!"

"But he didn't," Raoul had trouble keeping his balance, "He wants us alive."

Christine swam over to Raoul and asked, "Do you need my assistance? I promise you that my spines are away."

"Being underwater…it is such a strange sensation," he looked up at her, "If you could help me up…that would be nice."

Christine swam behind Raoul and lifted him from under her arms. Raoul felt her tail slap against his legs as she swam. It was not the most comfortable thing.

"I think I can move on my own now," he told her, "Thank you."

Christine dropped him and swam around him. She seemed very anxious, but uneasy as well.

"At least we're not chained," Raoul tried to look on the bright side, "We are not being tortured or eaten. Maybe this beast just gets his thrills by capturing people and inviting them to dinner."

That made Christine giggle, "Shall you accompany me around? I do not wish to swim this place alone."

"I will," Raoul did his best to swim over to her. His clumsy movements made her laugh even harder, "I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic in this tiny room."

Christine grabbed Raoul's hand, "I will pull you along," she swam out of the room, "You are so slow."

The two found themselves in the dark cavern halls. Cave mouths aligned the rocky walls. It seemed infinite.

"Do you live in a cave like this?" Raoul asked Christine.

"I was not lying to you about being homeless, Raoul," she answered him, "I am from the Skagerrak. I have no ties to this channel, but I did have a home…it was rather small, nothing like this. Papa had built it himself! He braided and manipulated the sugar kelp to grow a certain way," she smiled at the memory, "We had one room, but it was quite large for a sugar kelp hut!"

Raoul couldn't help but smile. Christine seemed so lively as she talked about her home. She must have missed it very much. Raoul began to wonder why she left.

"That actually sounds very lovely," said Raoul.

"It was…"

"I grew up on a large estate," Raoul felt the need to include himself, "My family is very wealthy, you see. My family lived in the manor, of course. It was out in the countryside…very beautiful," he grinned, "We had the greenest grass and the tallest trees!"

"Trees?"

"They are plants that grow oh so high," Raoul tried to explain, "Green and leafy."

"I see…" she slowly sunk to the rocky floor, "Sit with me."

Raoul sunk as she did and say down. He tried his best to stay grounded, "Why are we sitting?"

"I do not wish to get lost in this place," she said, "I do not wish for you to get lost."

* * *

Hours had passed before the monster had fetched the two for dinner. For those hours, Christine and Raoul had talked. He told her silly stories and of his family. She had learned that he was the youngest and had a brother and two sisters. How his sisters would always pressure him into finding a wife. How his brother, Philippe was his name, was more of a father to him than anything. He spoke of his Michelle, who apparently had the strangest laugh, according to Raoul. Christine never knew a human could be so normal.

The monster had set up an extravagant display for them. It was a table, a rather large table covered in a red cloth. It seemed other worldly…probably a human artifact. There were three chairs, two of them were on opposite ends of the table, one was in between the two on one of the longer sides. On the table were various platters. There was an endless amount of cod and kelp. Little minnows were decorated around the cod, and on top of them appeared to be some sort of roe…sturgeon roe, maybe? Christine started to salivate; she was so hungry.

"Don't just float there," the monster took a seat in the middle chair, "Sit."

Christine was confused. What sort of person would eat their food in this manner? Back in Skagerrak, families would go on hunts together. The would eat their kill right when they caught it. Sometimes they would take extra back home with them, but Christine did not understand the need for a table. Maybe it was some sort of channel custom. Christine took a seat.

Raoul seemed to have a plate of his own. On it seemed to be an array of strange things that Christine had never seen before.

"Eat," the beast urged, "I know you children must be famished."

Raoul was the first to eat. He took a bite of his strange green vegetable.

Christine reached for one of the cod. She sunk her teeth into it and began to eat around the bone.

"Splendid!" The monster exclaimed. He tried to start conversation, "Tell me, Raoul, where is it that you hail from? I am curious to know more about you."

"Paris," he set down his vegetable, "It's a large city, very large."

"I know of Paris," the monster did not appear to be eating anything.

Raoul looked confused, "You do?"

"I am a cultured merman," he said, "My knowledge is far beyond the seas. May I ask what ship you were on?"

"A naval ship," he took another bite, "I am in the French Navy."

Christine glared at the monster as she nibbled on her cod. He was very strange, especially for a Siren. Sitting his captives down for a meal? What was his ulterior motive? What was it that he wanted out of Raoul?

"Christine," she noticed that he was talking to her, "I would hate to leave you out of the conversation. How is it up north these days?"

"I wouldn't know," she answered, "I haven't been home in months."

"Well then, how are you adapting to the climate?"

"Alright," she nibbled some more, "It is warmer in these waters. I am getting used to it."

"That is good to hear," he held his hands together, "Are you both enjoying your meals?"

The two slowly nodded. Christine saw that Raoul was very uncomfortable. Maybe he was as uncomfortable as she was.

"Now that we are all together, I shall tell you my rules. I am a very merciful, merman, believe me. I can also be very understanding. I will treat you kindly if you abide by my rules. I will praise you and reward you. If you do not abide," he chuckled darkly, "Let's just hope that that doesn't happen!" He folded his hands, "Rule number one is that my library is off limits. If you go in the library, I guarantee that you will never come out. Rule number two, I expect you both for dinner with me every night, unless I am out. Rule number three, do not go against my wishes."

Christine set down the skeleton of the cod. She looked over to Raoul, who appeared to be playing with his vegetable.

"It is not hard to follow rules," the monster told them, "You have many freedoms here too. You have access to the entirety of the caverns, sans library. If you want privacy at times, I will allow it. I have set up private bedrooms for the both of you. I shall show you them after our meal."

"Why don't you show them to us now?" Raoul asked, "It appears that both Christine and I are finished eating."

"Of course," he swam out of his seat, "This way, children."


End file.
